Knights Ferry, California

Knights Ferry redirects here, for the Intel multi-processor card see Knights Ferry (Intel)

Knights Ferry
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
California's oldest operating general store is located Knights Ferry
Nearest city:	Oakdale, California
Coordinates:	37°49′11″N 120°39′52″W
Area:	107 acres (43 ha)
Built:	1849
Architectural style:	Mid 19th Century Revival, Gothic Revival, Classical Revival
Governing body:	Local
NRHP Reference#:	75000490
Added to NRHP:	April 23, 1975

Knights Ferry is a town in Stanislaus County, California, United States. Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, it is about 40 miles (64 km) east of Modesto on the Stanislaus River. The Willms Ranch, a California Landmark near the town, was one of many filming locations for the television series Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie. It is home to the Knights Ferry Bridge, the longest covered bridge west of the Mississippi at 330 feet (100 m) in length. Today, it is home to a museum about the history of the town and also about local wildlife. The town's ruins include a mill and a prison.

History

When gold was discovered in California in 1849, Dr. William Knight rediscovered a pass he had crossed with John C. Fremont, and established a ferry boat there. Soon, the ferry boat prospered and Knight and Captain Vantine built a hotel and trading post near the crossing. The settlement's name On November 9, 1849; Knight was killed by a gunfight on the town's main street, he was buried in an unmarked grave. Knight's family believed Dr. Knight was stabbed to death in his bed and was buried near the gate in the yard of John Dent's house, which was Dr. Knight's place at the time. The Dents immediately took possession of Bill Knight's property at Knight's Ferry following the murder.

Lewis Dent House

After Knights death, Vantine operated the ferry alone until he formed another collaboration with John and Lewis Dent. In 1852, Vantine sold his properties in the area to the Dents and moved elsewhere. A new townsite under the name of "Dentville" was laid out by John Dent. The inhabitants continued to call the town "Knights Ferry" and "Knights Crossing". In 1852 a toll bridge replaced the ferry. It was destroyed by the Great Flood of 1862. The new covered bridge was built at a higher level than the previous one, and it still stands today. The bridge was used for car traffic until it was closed to prevent damage in 1985.

Knights Ferry was also the county seat in 1862, as it replaced La Grange. It was soon succeeded by the new, prosperous railroad boomtown of Modesto in 1871.

Tourism

Knights Ferry Community Church

The following is a list of historic contributions that make up the Knights Ferry Historic District.

• Abraham Schell House Built in 1856, it was built of sandstone for Abraham Schell, owner of the Rancho del Río Estanislao.
• Lewis Dent House Built in 1851, it was owned by Lewis Dent the brother-in-law of President Ulysses S. Grant who visited Knights Ferry in 1852, when he was an army captain in Benicia and Eureka. It is the oldest home in the community.
• Knights Ferry Community Church Built in 1890 to replace the previous structure constructed in 1860, the church conserved the original pews, altar and upper windows. The church still gives services by Pastor Tanis.
• General Store California's oldest operating general store was built in 1852 by Moulton and Drew as the second structure in the town. It was bought by George Valpey who became a Wells Fargo agent in 1867.

Recreation

Located next to Knights Ferry is the Knights Ferry Recreation Area Managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This recreation area includes a "put in" location for Class I-II rafting trips on the Stanislaus River. Rafting most often occurs through the months of April through October. Water in the lower Stanislaus is discharged from the base of New Melonies, resulting in clear and cold water even in the warmest months of summer. The Army Corps of Engineers maintains recreational facilities along the Stanislaus River. Park Rangers caution rafters to exercise caution, and use life vests as the rapids below Knights Ferry can be treacherous.

The ZIP Code is 95361. The town is inside area code 209. Knights Ferry is part of the Modesto Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Politics

In the state legislature Knights Ferry is located in the 14th Senate District, represented by Republican Tom Berryhill, and in the 25th Assembly District, represented by Republican Kristin Olsen. Federally, Knights Ferry is located in California's 19th congressional district, which has a Cook PVI of R +10 and is represented by Republican Jeff Denham.

Sister city

San Jerónimo (Los Barbosa), Jalisco, Mexico

External links

• http://malakoff.com/kferry.htm
• http://members.tripod.com/~ffhiker/